Project: Star House
Architects: Z3Z Architects
Location: Bielawa, Poland
Area: 2,906 sf
Photographs by: FotoRadar Marcin Mularczyk
Star House by Z3Z Architects
The Star House that is located in Bielawa, Poland is a modern 2,906 square foot home that is comprised of three volumes placed radially to one another, at various angles. This placement is the reason why this residence is called the Star House as that is the shape that it resembles. But its interesting shape also opens up the interior to beautiful views on one side, and on the other side it displays the exterior of the residence. The point where all three volumes join together is also used as the entrance.
The Star House owes its name to its owners house guest, who after having the opportunity to experience the architecture, compared its shape to a star. The project made a deep impression on him, so much so, he later asked the architects responsible for the Star House to design one especially for him. The association made by the house guest is justified – the house consists of three volumes, placed radially to one another at different angles. It provides an interesting and rare opportunity to see the exterior facade of the house from the inside. Each volume represents different functions: living, sleeping and utility.
The place where all three volumes intersect is the entrance zone. Because of its central placement, it provides easy access to all parts of the house. The huge glass panes, offering you a view of the garden and usage of the same roof lining material, that starts outside above terrace and continues inside the building, connect the design of the interior and the exterior. Said terrace, thanks to its location between two main volumes of the building, is well hidden from the outside world. The overhang protects it from rain, snow and wind, providing shelter for its users. Its wooden finish corresponds with the floor materials used inside the building. It gives an illusion that the terrace is an internal part of the house – the interior and the exterior is perceived as one.
The terrace is accessible from the living area through a pair of big sliding glass doors. The living area consists of an open kitchen with a kitchen island, a dining room, a double-height living room and a mezzanine that can be accessed from the hallway by a spiral staircase. At the far end of the living room there is a brick fireplace made from the same material as the facade of the house. It is another example of diluting the boundaries between inside and outside by the architects. The fireplace is accompanied by floor-to-ceiling windows that are letting in abundant natural light and provide entrance to the second more intimate terrace of the house.
The general composition of the building, despite the multitude of elements, is rather simple. It is designed in a way where one part can provide multiple functions. This minimalistic approach perfectly fulfilled the requirements of the clients. One of the main goals was to design a house with plenty of natural light throughout the day, which was a starting point while making a first sketch of the Star House. The designers at Z3Z Architekci followed the guidelines threw, so much so already the first proposal got the client’s approval. The final result, presented in the pictures, differs from it only in detail, as it was refined long before starting the technical design.
